ISTANBUL: Turkish police on Wednesday busted 32 illegal migrants in the northwest province of Kirklareli near the Bulgarian border, reported a state-run broadcaster.
They were detained during an enforcement operation near the Pinarhisar district when police signalled a truck to stop, which ignored the warning and fled, leading to a chase towards the Derekoy border gate to Bulgaria, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting state-run broadcaster TRT.
After the chase, the police stopped the truck and discovered 32 migrants of various nationalities hiding in the back. The migrants were transported to the provincial security directorate's anti-migrant smuggling department.
The local media reports also suggest that the truck driver, who was detained, is wanted for two separate offences.
Kirklareli has recently become a preferred route for irregular migrants attempting to enter Europe illegally via Bulgaria by land. To combat human trafficking, police frequently conduct checks at key points along this route.